Adidas shoes with embedded Berlin public transport pass

It’s really only a publicity play, but Adidas and German public transport company Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) have partnered to produce a novel method of paying fares, by embedding an annual ticket in pairs of sneakers.

The shoe is the Adidas EQT Support 93/Berlin, and sewn into the tongue of each shoe (of the pair) is a fabric version of a 2018 annual pass for the BVG network. Also incorporated into the shoe’s design is the distinctive pattern used in BVG’s train seats.

The shoe retailed for 180 Euros. The value of the embedded ticket? At least 728 Euros. Any thoughts of wearing a shoe each, or even carrying a shoe each to get the fare convenience and savings are dashed by the fact that the BOTH of shoes have to be worn, not carried, for a valid fare to register.

It should also be noted that the annual pass is only valid on BVG’s own network, not the wider Berlin public transport system.

Limited edition

A publicity play? Yes, in that only 500 pairs will be sold, and it’s likely that many of the purchasers were collectors, aka sneakerheads, who will never wear them. Instead they will keep the shoes and the box in pristine condition. That said, it was reported that some in the line were indeed keen to actually use the shoes for the cheap transit tickets.

The shoes sold in two Berlin stores, and each customer could only buy one pair. Local press reported that there were 550 people in the queue, some having waited in line, and in snow, for four days.

“Berlin has a special significance for us. The city and its people have strongly influenced our brand. We would like to thank the passionate EQT fans for their loyalty and passion with this project. BVG loves Berlin and connects people to each other, which was the perfect starting point for this limited edition EQT 93/17, “says Till Jagla, Senior Director at adidas Originals.

What do you think?

Would you like to see something like this as an alternative to tickets, cards, or mobile phones as a form of paying for public transport fares? Or is it simply the discounted ticket that might make you consider such a change?

Let us know your thoughts in the ‘Leave a comment’ section further down this page.

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Author: Scott Fitzgerald

Scott looks after the iMOVE CRC website, including its content production, and social media accounts. He's looking forward to seeing all the innovation that will be driven by iMOVE. Favourite car he's ever owned? No question, a 1965 XP Ford Falcon Futura hardtop.